Liquid applicator



April 1941- H. w. STEINMETZ I 2,238,953

LIQUID APPLICATOR Filed Jan. 29, 1940 FIGI 11v VENTOR JT'E/NNETZ HERMAN 14/.

[FIG 6 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to applicators for fluid shoe cleaners, shoe polish, fluid coloring and other liquids or fluids and the principal object of the invention is to provide an applicator with a novel combined absorbing and brushing element which provides maximum absorption for the storage of the liquid or fluid in the brushing element and provides an even feed and spread of the liquid or fluid from the brushing element on the use thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide an applicator in which the feeding of the fluid is regulated by the amount of compression of the brushing element and the reduction of the brushing area thereof.

A further object of this invention is to mount the brushing element of the applicator in a sleeve with a gradually narrowing inlet to provide a gradual compression of the brushing element that will prevent extrusion of fluid from the brushing element on its movement into the sleeve for the compression thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide an applicator with a novel combined absorbing and brushing element which is built up from a natural sponge in such a manner that it may be used for efliciently applying liquids with an efflcient brushing action.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the applicator with means for keeping excess 1 liquids on the brushing element from reaching the handle of the applicator.

All these and other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description thereof which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the applicator embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a sponge section which has been prepared for the formation of the sponge element of the applicator.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the sponge element formed from the sponge section.

Figure 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the applicator as it appears embodied as part of a bottle cap.

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional View of the combined applicator and bottle cap.

The fluid applicator, forming the subject matter of my present invention, is especially adapted for use in applying the white cleaning fluid used in cleaning white shoes. However, it is not confined to this purpose alone and may be used for applying any liquid shoe polish, liquiddyes, inks, etc., in fact the applicator has been found to improve the action of a brush or other element now used for applying the fluids and liquids mentioned.

As illustrated in the figures of the drawing, the applicator comprises a handle element 1, in one end of which is fixedly mounted a sleeve 2. The latter extends from the handle member and its outer end is flared to provide an enlarged inwardly tapering inlet into the sleeve. Mounted to slide within the sleeve is a plunger 3 which is operated by the plunger rod 3 by means of the handle 5 thereof. The plunger comprises a suitable cup member carrying the lugs 6, E which are adapted to be bent so as to tightly embrace and hold one end of the brushing element l in place in the plunger.

Surrounding a portion of the outside of the sleeve 2 and extending over the end of the handle member I is a rubber gasket 8. This gasket, as shown in Figure 1, conically surrounds the applicator and in doing so performs two functions, first that of a stopper so that the applicator may be inserted into the mouth of a bottle neck to close the bottle while it is tilted or shaken to have the fluid within it reach the brushing element for absorption thereby, and second that of a guard which keeps the fluid carried by the brushing element and adhering to the sleeve 2 from reaching the fingers with which the handle element is gripped in the manipulation of the applicator. The latter function is supplemented by the annular groove 9 which surrounds the outer end of the handle element l and provides a reservoir into which any excess fluid that may pass the gasket 9 may accumulate to prevent such excess fluid from covering the handle element. It has also been found that the sharp edge 8A which surrounds the gasket 8 prevents the fluid adhering to its inclined side, from being carried over the top of the gasket by capillary attraction.

The combined absorbing and brushing element 1 embodies features not found in elements of similar character and in conjunction with the mechanical structure of the applicator provides means whereby a maximum amount of fluid may be absorbed and held for storage by the brushing element to be released therefrom and applied thereby with a uniform, non-streaking spreading action.

The brushing element is made from a natural sponge but in order to perform its function, as

stated above, it is essential that it be built up in a manner hereinafter described.

A section or sections are cut from a sponge so that the growth of the sponge in each section extends in the same direction. If but one section is used, as illustrated in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive, the section is in the form of a strip with the growth of the sponge in the strip extending cross- Wise thereto. The strip is rolled into a cylindrical form so as to provide a member with a substantially uniform density that will, due to its uniformly directional sponge growth, cause the member to expand mostly circumferentially when fluid is absorbed thereby.

If more than one section is used for the sponge member, the sections are made of uniform length 7 and are placed side by side with their sponge growth in the same "direction. The individual sections are then held together to form a cylindrical body which will have substantially the same absorbent capacity with the same circumferential expansion as the sponge member formed from one section of the sponge and rolled into a cylindrical member as above described.

One end of the cylindrical sponge member is inserted into the plunger 3 and the lugs 6, 6 thereof are bent inwardly to firmly anchor the sponge member in the plunger. The portion of the brush member which extends from the plunger is thus free to circumferentially expand except for the retaining Wall provided by the sleeve 2 which surrounds it. When therefore the brush member is moved out of the sleeve of the applicator as illustrated in Figure 1 only the portion surrounded by the sleeve 2 is held against expansion 50 that absorption of fluid by the i brush member provides for maximum circumferential expansion with minimum longitudinal expansion of the exposed free portion thereof. In

this way the outer face of the brush member the fluid uniformly from its entire surface or any part thereof to provide a uniform coating. The growth of the sponge in each portion or portions used in making up the brush element comprises fine fibres separated by small cell-s and this produces a brushing effect without the streaks that are produced by hair brushes and daubers of all kinds such as are commonly used in the application of fluid cleaners, polishes, etc, at the present time.

The increased density of the built up sponge member provides sufficient rigidity so that it may be used in the manner of a brush with a rubbing action so that soiled spots are not just substantially retains at all times a uniform b rushing surface except for itsI lateral expansion and contraction. This is in contrast to the natural expansion of a sponge in which the sponge growth with its fibers is substantially radial which causes the sponge to expand mushroom like so that its outer end will have an extremely convexed surface which is not practical for use on a brushing element in the application of a fluid because it will not produce a uniform non-streaked coating. Furthermore the use of a brush element made up in the manner shown and described will have a greater absorbent capacity in that all cells in the sponge growth are closely packed together because in building up the brush element as above described the large cells in the sponge growth are eliminated and the small cells extend in substantially the same direction and thus have a minimum'spacing action with a maximum liquid absorbing capacity. A great many more cells are therefore located in the built up sponge member than would be in a natural sponge portion of the same size.

With the sponge member extended from the sleeve a maximum amount of the flu-idmay be applied because of the large brushing surface provided by its expanded end. This brushing surface is substantially flat and therefore releases covered by the cleaner but to some degree are also rubbed off.

When it is desired to reduce the brushing area of the applicator, the brushing element is drawn into the tube 2. In doing so the gradually narrowing inlet of the tube end gradually reduces the diameter of the brushing element so as to avoid a quick compression thereof which would cause some of the liquid to be extruded from the brushing element. The infiaring wall of the tube 2 furthermore keeps the outer edge thereof from scraping the outside of the brushing element and from gradually destroying the brushing element as a result thereof.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have illustrated the applicator embodied as part of the bottle cap Ill. The sleeve H is provided centrally on the inside of the cap with the plunger l2 movable back and forth therein. An enlarged handle member I3 is located on the outside of the cap for the movement of the plunger with the brush member l4 extending therefrom for the operation and use of the applicator in the manner above described.

I claim:

1. In a liquid applicator the combination of a sleeve, a compressible and expandible combined absorbing and brushing element projecting from said sleeve and comprising a substantially cylindrically formed natural sponge member made up of a plurality of substantially parallel layers having their fibers and passages arranged substantially longitudinally, and axially parallel to the brushing element and held compressed in said sleeve with one end thereof for maximum circumferential expansion with minimum longitudinal expansion of the combined absorbing and brushing elements so as to substantially preserve the face of the brushing element on the absorption of liquid thereby except for the circumferential expansion thereof.

'2. In a liquid applicator the combination of a sleeve, a compressible and expandible combined absorbing and brushing element projecting from said sleeve and comprising a flat natural sponge section rolled into a cylindrical member with the sponge growthand fibers axially parallel thereto and held compressed in said sleeve with one end thereof for maximum circumferential expansion with minimum longitudinal expansion of the combined absorbent and brushing element so as to substantially preserve the face of the brushing element on the absorption of liquid thereby except for the circumferential expansion thereof.

HE'RMAN W. STEINMETZ. 

